WITH so many self-help books on offer, choosing the right one can be daunting. Our reporter cherry-picks the best advice from the latest releases.

Successful people say there will always be reasons not to do something. You just have to have the courage to start.

Never resign yourself to what the future holds. Overcoming fatalistic thinking is essential. Don’t allow the past to determine your future.

Successful people have high emotional intelligence and empathy so keep their negative emotions in check and don’t feel the need to put others down, which makes them resilient.

The Joy Of Less by Francine Jay (Chronicle Books, £10.99)

Six key questions to ask about potential items on the chop block: “Why do I have it?”, “Do I need it?”, “How often do I use it?”, “Could I borrow it if I get rid of it?”, “Would you replace it if it was lost/stolen/you didn’t have it?” and “Would you take it with you if you moved?”

We hold on to some stuff to prove who we were or what we accomplished but if they’re stuffed in the loft, they’re not proving anything.

By eliminating the remnants of unloved pastimes, unfinished endeavours and unrealised fantasies, you make room for new possibilities.

Practice conscious consumerism so for each potential purchase, ask yourself: “Do you deserve a place in my home?”, “What value will you add?”, “Do I have a place to put you?”, “Can I get by without it?” and “Will you make my life easier?”

Enjoy without owning – resist the temptation to spend loads recreating the outside world at home.

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Life Leverage by Rob Moore (John Murray, £9.99)

View time as a currency. Spend it on things that give you the greatest return and freedom.

If you take control of your emotions, you will be happier. Most people are slaves to their emotional reactions and this spirals their life out of control.

Mastering your emotions isn’t about becoming a machine or never feeling weakness. It’s about understanding what makes you tick and setting up your environment to support your focus.

How To Unplug by Ross Dickinson (Summersdale, £6.99)

Rather than focussing on why you should unplug and the difficulties behind that, this book features a mass of ideas that you can do instead of being glued to your screen. For example:

The ‘Turn Right’ game – get in your car/on your bike/start walking and every time you reach a junction, turn right (or go forward). You’ll eventually end up in some place you’ve never been before.

If you’re out with a group for drinks, put all your mobiles in the centre of the table.

The first person who reaches for their phone has to pay for all the drinks.

Play dinner carousel rather than spending another mindless evening in front of the telly. Get together with three/four friends and take it in turns one Friday or Saturday night each week for a month to host them for dinner. People who are better socially connected in real life, don’t have the time to be glued to a screen.

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What’s Stopping You? by Robert Kelsey (Capstone, £10.99)

People who fear failure are often able to take extreme risks in situations where failure is almost certain but are paralysed by everyday situations that involve only moderate but often very public risks.

People with a positive outlook in life focus on the rewards that success will bring, but high FFs (fear of failure) focus on the humiliation of failure.

Seeing the best in people can be difficult but by forcing yourself to assume a kinder interpretation, you neutralise the impact of their bad behaviour so you don’t internalise it.

S.U.M.O. (Shut Up, Move On) by Paul McGee (Capstone, £10.99)

Life is rarely just about what happens to you. It is how you respond that makes the difference to what happens next.

Taking responsibility for your thoughts and actions frees you from the trap of blaming, complaining and resenting.

When you wear the victim T-shirt, you become a passenger and allow circumstances and others to determine your direction.

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Emotional Resilience by Geetu Bharwaney (Pearson, £12.99)

At the very core of emotional resilience is self-worth, self-control, mood, empathy, caring and understanding.

Have a script in your mind to allow you time to reflect on a situation or regain your composure.

Make a list of situations and people that play a part in you losing control and try to analyse what really happens and why.

Lower your expectations. Identify what you, consciously or subconsciously, demand of yourself and others in social situations and then try to make them less intense and more realistic.

The Art Of Possible by Kate Tojeiro (Black Mustang Press, £12.99)

Write down what success means to you and what it would feel like.

What outdated or plain untrue story do you tell about yourself to yourself and others? How do these “truths” affect the way you operate?

It’s almost impossible for our brain to be innovative when it’s in fight or flee mode or when we’re too stressed, anxious or fixed in our thinking to make way for productive thoughts.

Overcoming Anxiety by Gill Hasson (Capstone, £10.99)

Anxiety becomes a problem if, instead of prompting you to respond in a way that’s helpful, it overwhelms or paralyses you.

Thinking in negative, unhelpful ways is called cognitive distortion (eg jumping to a conclusion or catastrophising). Cognitive distortion is powerful because it can convince you that your thoughts are rational when they’re actually limiting, unhelpful and destructive.

You don’t need to ignore your negative thoughts – aim to replace them with more helpful ones.

The Assertiveness Guide For Women (out on Thursday) by Julie De Azevedo Hanks (New Harbinger, £12.99)

What internal and external cues do you experience when you’re not addressing your emotions and relationship issues in direct and clear ways?

Think about your family relationship patterns, emotional rules and assertiveness approach – how did these early foundations affect you?

Think of a time when you had an intense emotional response to something that occurred in a relationship – what did your emotional mind say and what did your reasonable mind say? Were you able to see both perspectives?